There are just five weeks of footy left and with one spot in the eight still mathematically up for grabs there are plenty of crucial games for The Roar‘s NRL expert tipping panel to tell you about.
The Crowd were best off last week, picking up six tips and moving into the overall lead of the competition on 93 points across the first 20 rounds of the season. As a comparison, The Crowd were on 99 at the same time last year, indicating this season has been harder to pick.
AJ and Tom both collected five tips last week while AJ had four, meaning AJ drops back to 92 and Tim is on 90 after only getting four right last week.
If we can say approximately nothing about my tipping, we will.
No objections? Let’s roll onto the games.
We will start at a likely to be empty Homebush as the Bulldogs host the Broncos, who, conveniently get another Thursday night game – except this time, they could run a cricket score up.
Tevita Pangai Junior of the Broncos (AAP Image/Craig Golding)
The battle for the final spot in the top eight will resume on Friday as the Tigers try to keep their mathematical chances alive against Newcastle.
At the very pointy end of the ladder, it’ll be the Rabbitohs and Storm facing off in the game of the round, before the Dragons take on the Warriors, Eels play the Titans and Roosters host the Cowboys on Saturday. The first of those games seems to be the most intriguing, but it’ll also be interesting to watch how the Roosters play.
The final two games of Round 21 see an undermanned Cronulla play Manly in the Shire, before the Panthers try to put a consistent performance together as they host the Raiders to close things out.
Don’t forget to submit your tips on the form below by 5pm (AEST) to be part of The Crowd as you take on the experts.
Tips: Broncos, Tigers, Rabbitohs, Warriors, Titans, Roosters, Sharks, Raiders
Without David Klemmer, I just can’t see the Dogs – even at home – beating the Broncs, who seem to be getting in the groove just at the right time.
It’s flip a coin stuff in Novocastria. The Knight have their distinct home ground advantage. The Wests Tigers still have a chance of making the eight. I’m thinking that will be the difference.
Why am I going Rabbits when the Storm seem to be peaking, while the Cardinal and Myrtle are off the boil? I have no idea. Gut feeling? That’s all I’ve got.
Both Dragons and Warriors got done badly last week. Both need to respond. The Warriors get Isaac Luke, Tohu Harris and Adam Blair back and MUST win to stop the rot. Dragons have post Origin blues and have seemingly list their scoring mojo.
Parra are desperate to avoid the spoon. And they might. But that pack is ordinary. The Titans pack isn’t at all. The Eels could jag a win but I reckon the Titans have hoisted a wet sail.
Roosters have clicked into gear and how. Their attacking play is superb and their kids in the pack are going hard. Conversely the Cows are struggling in most categories. Look for Latrell to rampage again.
Sharks are at home. That’s why I’m going them. That, and the nature of the Sea Eagles loss to Penrith is a gutting loss. Gutting. They may not be able to respond.
Matthew Moylan of the Sharks catches the ball. (Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
The Raiders will respond. Their pack will dominate. Penrith won’t be able to run them down like they did the Sea Eagles as the men in Green start to fade after the 60th minute. But it’ll be close.
Tips: Broncos, Knights, Storm, Dragons, Eels, Roosters, Sea Eagles, Panthers
Round 21 looks like a real bludger. Usually there are one or two games each week that could go either way, but seriously, I haven’t tossed this many coins since last Anzac Day at the Ourimbah RSL.
The Broncos should crush the Bulldogs. That much is clear. Brisbane has far too much size, strength and class to be troubled by the Jenny Craig roster Dean Pay has at his disposal. And while we’re at it, let’s lock in the Roosters to lasso the Cowboys. Can’t see that one ending any other way.
I’m going to go with the Knights over the Tigers, but I’m not very confident. The way they surrendered that lead last weekend was deplorable. But then so were the Tigers.
With everything to play for, they came out of the sheds flatter than a piece of Matt Nable commentary. In the other Friday game, I’m tipping Melbourne to scratch out a narrow victory against the Bunnies. Not sure why, but they are Melbourne and it’s usually unwise to tip against them.
I wish I didn’t have to tip either the Dragons or the Warriors. Both squads are imploding, but I guess the one advantage of them playing each other is that they can’t both choke. Dragons by 4. And on the back of a convincing win against New Zealand, I’m backing the Titans to show absolutely no consistency by suffering through a humiliating defeat at the hands of Parramatta.
Panthers versus Raiders? Do I have to? I could see Penrith’s attack clicking back into gear and the Panthers putting a cricket score on the defensively frail Raiders.
But I could just as easily envisage Canberra’s backline filling their boots against a Penrith side who’ve lost four of their last five, and escaped with a miracle win last weekend. I’m going for the Panthers, but only because I want to read a post-Raiders defeat Tim Gore rage article.
And in Tom’s ‘Rock Solid’ tip of the week, I’m backing a bounce back. Manly have endured a thrashing and a heart-breaking last second loss in consecutive weeks, and if that doesn’t motivate the Sea Eagles, then Trent Barrett should hand up his coaching cleats. Manly by 13.
What’s next for Barrett’s Sea Eagles? (Photo by Jason O’Brien/Getty Images)
Tips: Broncos, Tigers, Storm, Dragons, Eels, Roosters, Sharks, Panthers
The NRL’s honest toilers have some tough matchups against contenders this week. We know how this story ends…
Canterbury will give it a real crack, but Brisbane are in reasonable nick and want to lock down a home final if not an unlikely top four spot.
After last week’s debacle, Wests simply must beat the Knights or they’re cooked… The Knights are a tough fight though.
The Storm will have a tougher go around this week, but they’ll get over the Bunnies. Just.
St George must be ecstatic that they’ve got the Warriors this week because the visitors are all over the place since a great win in Brisbane. Dragons.
Ben Hunt of the Dragons (AAP Image/Craig Golding)
Parra might have their hands full against the Titans, but they won’t choke it this week.
Roosters will smash the Cowboys because they’re warming up nicely like all good top four teams do.
Cronulla will smush the Sea Eagles into something resembling a warm paste. Sharks still a top four chance.
Sunday afternoon’s result depends on how the Raiders react to adversity. They’ve got a filthy injury list and a stack of players out of position, but there needs to be some integrity to their performance. They’ll run the Panthers close but the mountain men need this one more.
Tips: Broncos, Tigers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Eels, Roosters, Sharks, Panthers
I’d really, really like to not run last, so with four weeks and finals to go, it’s time to start nailing every tip. Ordinarily, that’d be easier said than done, but this weekends action looks a little bit easier to work out.
First up, it’s reasonably impossible to go against the Broncos. David Klemmer is missing for a hapless Canterbury and this could get pretty ugly by the time it’s all said and done.
Then it’ll be the Tigers. Their season is still alive thanks to the incompetence of the Warriors and while they need to win, win and win again between now and the end of the regular season, they should thump the struggling Knights in Newcastle.
The undisputed game of the week comes to us from ANZ Stadium. Oh joy. Nonetheless, hopefully a good crowd is on display where I’ll take the Rabbitohs to get one over the Storm and snap their losing streak.
Damien Cook runs the ball. (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)
Then it’s down to Wollongong where the Dragons will beat the Warriors. The problem with this game is the unpredictableness of the Warriors – still, based on how they played last week at the Gold Coast, the Red V will win and win well.
The Eels and Titans following has the potential to be a bludger, but I’ll take Parramatta while the final Saturday game is probably going to end up a one-sided mauling as the Roosters batter the Cowboys.
Sunday heads to the Shire, where the Sharks should beat the Sea Eagles, although I’m not 100 per cent confident on that one, given the Sharks ability to switch on and off.
There’s not a heap riding on the end of the round either, although it’s imperrative the Panthers put in an 80-minute performance rather than a 15-minute one as they take on the Raiders with the run to the finals intensifying.
| Round 21 | Tim | Tom | AJ | Scott | The Crowd |
| BUL v BRO | BRO | BRO | BRO | BRO | BRO |
| KNI v TIG | TIG | KNI | TIG | TIG | TIG |
| RAB v STO | RAB | STO | STO | RAB | STO |
| DRA v WAR | WAR | DRA | DRA | DRA | DRA |
| EEL v TIT | TIT | EEL | EEL | EEL | TIT |
| ROO v COW | ROO | ROO | ROO | ROO | ROO |
| SHA v SEA | SHA | SEA | SHA | SHA | SHA |
| PAN v RAI | RAI | PAN | PAN | PAN | PAN |
| Last week | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Total | 90 | 82 | 92 | 79 | 93 |
Crowd tipping will close at 5pm (AEST) on Thursday evening. Be sure to submit your tips on the form below before then to make your opinion count as part of The Crowd.
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